Ulterior Motives
by theywhosingsweetly
Summary: It's high school for the clan and things seem to be the same, or are they? When they are confronted with a childhood enemy can Jimmy and Cindy get along?
1. English Class

**I don't own Jimmy Neutron. Trust me...I checked.**

* * *

His azure eyes sparkled. He was thinking of a new invention, she could tell. How many times had that same look in his eyes gleamed when he thought of a potential invention during their grade school years? It had been a while since she saw had seen that sparkle of inspiration. This was one of the few classes she actually had with him. She wondered what it was about their English class could possibly cause him to think of something to invent. Perhaps it was the new teachers unique style of dress. Or maybe the way she had arranged the class into two parts with the individual desks facing each other towards a center aisle allowing the teacher to move back and forth as she spoke. Allowing the "bouncing of ideas off each other" as she described it. Or maybe it was an invention to keep boredom away. She continued to stare into is blue eyes till she heard the distant voice of their English teacher.

"…partner up and create a list of examples from the book".

'_Dang it'_ she thought, '_Oh well, Libby will tell me what I missed.'_

Cindy glanced up to see who Jimmy, or James as he now liked to be called, was partnering with and noticed that he was still gazing off into space. She giggled to herself; he was still going to be Jimmy to her no matter what he insisted on being called. '_Jimmy is gonna end up without a partner if he doesn't pay attention. Good thing I've got…' _she turned around to face Libby but she was gone. Surprise was replaced by confusion as she spotted her across the room talking to Britney.

"Libby!" she called out.

Libby looked over her shoulder to her friend and sauntered back over to her.

"What?"

"Aren't we gonna be partners?" Cindy asked.

"Well I'm partners with Britney."

"Wha…why? I thought we were gonna be partners."

"We would be if you weren't busy ogling James over there".

"I was not ogling!"

"Mm-hmm. And why are you without a partner?"

She knew she couldn't argue that point anymore and now she needed to find a partner. She sighed as she scanned the room for anyone else who was without a partner.

"Looks like James is without a partner too…" Libby commented before walking back over to Britney.

It was true Cindy noted. Jimmy seemed to be in the same boat as her. Their eyes met and they understood their need and their obvious lack of a partner. Cindy grabbed her books and made her way over to him sitting down in the desk next to him.

"Soo…" Cindy started "Looks like we're partners"

"Yup" He responded.

"Have any clue what we are making a list of?"

"Nope."

"Excellent…neither do I."

"Good thing we're partners"

"Yea…"

Despite neither of them having any idea what they were supposed to be doing, Cindy pulled out her notebook opened to a blank page, took out her book and looked at Jimmy next to her. He just sat there looking at her with a black stare. Except his eyes. His eyes sparkled again. She looked at him quizzically while he rotated his desk 45°. Cindy's jaw was just short of dropping as Jimmy grabbed the front of her desk and rotated it to face his with her still sitting in it. Cindy's face was still one of shock as Jimmy readjusted himself and finally looked up at her.

"What?" he asked.

Cindy didn't respond. She didn't know how. '_Jimmy is a lot more buff than I remember. I wonder if he works out. And his hair is really a lot better than it used to be'. _She shrugged and relaxed her face.

"So we have no idea what we are doing" she said, "Guess we should find out, huh?"

"Yea I s'pose"

Cindy raised her hand and their eager English teacher bounced over to them.

"Yes Cindy?"

"What are we making a list of again?" Cindy asked in her sweetest voice.

"Examples of literary uses from the book. 2 examples each, ok?"

"Ok thanks".

"The list should be on the green handout."

"Thank you".

The teacher smiled at both of them and moved on to check on the other student's progress. Jimmy pulled out his green sheet from his binder.

"Ok, so first on the list is an example of background information," Jimmy started.

"There's probably an example at the beginning…" Cindy said as she flipped through the book. "Yea here's one on page 10. Here," she passed her notebook and pen to Jimmy, "you write, I'll read".

He took it up with out complaint.

"It starts with "Not far out of Sicily…"" Cindy's voice mixed in with the classroom buzz as Jimmy and Cindy worked together on a project without fuss or complaint. Libby looked over at the couple working with a mix of awe and relief.

'_Maybe they can get along…I wonder how this will work out?'_

"Libby," Britney broke her thoughts, "Foreshadowing…an example…"

"Today. This class", Libby responded absently.

"What?"

"Never mind. I think in chapter 2 there's one".

* * *

OK so this is my first FanFic so be nice!


	2. Chasing Cars

**If I owned Jimmy Neutron it would still be on. Since it's not, let's assume I don't.**

* * *

Libby and Cindy parted company at Cindy's locker.

"See ya after dance practice Cin".

"Have fun Libs", Cindy called after her best friend who returned it with a wave over her shoulder. Cindy sighed and turned to head down the hall to exit through the back door onto the field. The school was already empty due to the summer fever that had already bitten the population of Retroville High. Cindy blinked as she entered the warm May sun light. The scent of fresh cut grass tickled her nose as a light breeze wrapped around her. She smiled to herself as her skin warmed beneath the suns rays. The sounds of people running, yelling, and practicing for spring sports mixed with the warmth of the day making it a blissful afternoon. Cindy closed her eyes as she neared to the edge of the field so she never saw him walk up to her. He just matched her footsteps and waited for her to notice him. They were almost to the other end of the field when she finally relaxed enough to realize that she was no longer alone. Cindy opened her eyes and glared at him.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a hint of anger for being caught off guard by his sudden presence.

She could see vulnerability in his eyes but it was quickly replaced by the cold shell he put up every time she put him down.

"No" Jimmy responded dejectedly, "I just thought we could walk home together, since we are both headed that way. But if I'm bothering you…" he trailed off.

Cindy's heart did a little jump which caught her off guard causing a half smile to cross her lips.

"Sure Neutron…Jimmy, I mean James," She finished timidly.

Jimmy barely contained his smile. A comfortable silence fell between them. Jimmy relaxed and enjoyed the moment lacking conflict. '_Why could we never have this before?'_ He thought to himself. '_What made us argue so much?'_

"Cindy?" Jimmy began.

"Yes?"

"Why do you think we fought so much? As kids I mean," Jimmy asked.

Cindy looked back at him. That vulnerability had returned. It was a look she had never seen in him.

'_Is he scared? Scared of what?'_ she wondered. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm not really sure Jimm… James", Cindy answered.

Jimmy's eyes turned forward again, trying to compute some answer to this question. Cindy thought about it too. Or rather about Jimmy.

'_Why did we fight? Was I jealous? Scared? Of what? That he's better than me? Smarter? Well who wouldn't be jealous? But no, I don't think that's it. Then I was scared. But of what? Failing? No. I always did just as well as Jimmy. Being wrong? Possibly…maybe something else too…but what?_

Jimmy grabbed her arm pulling her backwards out of the street and out of her private thoughts.

"Neutron!!" She snapped at him alarmed at having been yanked around. A car sped by them a few feet from where they were standing and where Cindy would have been had she kept walking lost in her thoughts. Cindy looked back at Jimmy with gratitude and remorse for snapping at him.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry Jim…"

"It's ok" Jimmy interrupted, "Someone's gotta look after you".

Cindy felt that twinge of longing to retaliate with an equally witty retort. She looked down preparing her attack when she noticed his hand still held onto her arm. Jimmy followed her gaze to his grip on her. Before he knew what he was doing he slid his hand down to hers. Cindy opened her hand and their fingers laced together. All of Cindy's tension melted instantly. His hands were big and comforting. It made her feel safe and cared for.

Jimmy didn't fully understand his actions, but the look on Cindy's face had changed from annoyance to what? Security? Peace? Something else?_ 'I don't think I can scientifically rationalize this'_ Jimmy decided.

They finished their walk home holding hands. Cindy couldn't remember ever seeing the town so empty. Or perhaps she just didn't notice anyone else. In fact, it was as if the world had come to a stand still. All movement and noise stopped, except for their steady breathing and the light tap of their feet on the ground. Jimmy walked Cindy to her front lawn and stopped just short of the steps. Still holding hands Cindy turned to face him. That glimmer in his eye had returned. A thrill rushed down her spine as he looked into her eyes.

"Well…" Jimmy's voice cracked as he spoke.

Cindy giggled at him, "Well," she responded. Jimmy smiled at her.

"Thank you for walking me home, Jimmy, James. Sorry, you'll always be the Jimmy I knew from our childhood." Cindy said. His face fell a little hearing that she still saw him as a childhood friend and nothing more. But the look she gave him made him smile a little. Cindy only saw his smile and she wondered if he liked her as more than a friend… maybe.

With a little sadness he released her hand and they broke apart. All the sounds of the surrounding world rushed into their ears like a swarm. She could her neighbors mowing the lawn, a car passing; the world was in motion again.

She gave him a small smile. "I guess I'll see you later", Cindy almost whispered. She slowly turned around and walked up to her door. As Cindy mounted the steps to her front door, her emotions were a mixture of sadness and yet complete bliss.

'_Don't turn around Cindy',_ she mentally prepped herself, _'Don't do it. Just keep walking. Resist the urge'_. She opened her door and walked inside. It to all her might to not turn around and look back as she stepped inside. Jimmy stood in her yard and watched her walk inside. He couldn't move, he just waited. The sound of the door closing snapped him out of his blissful stupor. He turned around and walked toward his house. A pair of green eyes peeked through the living room curtains and followed his slow saunter across the yard and into the house across the street.


	3. Friday Night

Thank you for all the great reviews!! I'm so happy you are all enjoying it! ^__^ It makes me Ultra-Happy!!

**Disclaimer: I Don't own Jimmy Neutron. But I like to talk about him!!**

* * *

Jimmy picked up a snack from the kitchen and headed down to his lab. He was working on perfecting a new prototype to his jet pack. He had already taken the SAT's as a sophomore this year, but more for fun than for a college. Jimmy figured he didn't need it since he was already taking some classes there.

_'Besides,_' he reasoned, _'if I sell my jetpack I will make enough money that I have no need for going to a college full time after graduation'._

Jimmy was half way through fixing the wiring on a component for the GPS system when his two best friends pounded on the door and walked inside without waiting for a reply.

"Hey Jim", Carl greeted him, "still working on the jet pack?"

"Yea, I'm perfecting the GPS system"

"Oh…", Carl responded, "So when are you gonna find a cure for the common cold?"

"Carl, nobody can do that. At least not yet. It probably won't be done in our lifetime, and it will most likely require the aid of nanotechnology and I'm not thrilled to work with nanotechnology anytime soon," Jimmy added with an eye roll as he recollected the 'adventures' they had experienced with those lovely inventions of his.

"Hey Jimmy," Sheen pipped up, "Can I borrow your hover car tonight? I'm taking Libbilicous out tonight" emphasizing her name with a few suggestive eye brow lifts.

"Uh…" Jimmy began, he forgot it was Friday already. He was slightly jealous that Sheen was going out this weekend. Maybe he should get out of this stuffy lab for once and experience a normal high schoolers nightlife. He wondered what Cindy was doing tonight, if she wanted to go out or something… but then again high school was overrated.

"Jimm-aaaay!!!" Sheen screeched from the odd position he had mangled himself into on Jimmy's couch.

"Oh, yea. Uh sure Sheen. Just don't crash it ok?"

"Sweet! Thanks Jimmy!!"

"No problem," Jimmy muttered to himself, "not like I'm going anywhere tonight."

"Aah Jim," Carl, who had overheard him, spoke up, "Why don't you just ask a girl out? Like Betty Quinlin…" Carl ended in the sweetest voice he could make.

"No Carl, the probability of Betty actually saying yes is roughly 1400 to 1."

"Why don't you just call Cindy?" Sheen suggested. He had managed to untangle himself from the couch and was now twisted in some wires from some of Jimmy's old inventions. "She's right across the street ya know."

Jimmy busied himself with the invention in his hands but his mind was else where. Across the street to be exact.

'_Would she even want to go out with me?'_ he thought

"Why don't you come with me and Libby? We could double date it!" Sheen yelled out from the chair in front of Vox's main screen that he was madly spinning himself in.

"That's ok Sheen. I really need to finish this. You and Libby go have fun tonight."

"Ooookaaay" Sheen yelled back, still spinning in the chair.

Jimmy barely heard him, in fact barely saw his best friends or what was in his own hands. Jimmy couldn't help but wonder if Cindy would go out with him. She was intelligent, popular, and pretty.

'_No. She's Gorgeous, beautiful!' _He thought, '_The most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And I, James Isaac Neutron, have seen a lot of beautiful things. But compared to her they were all dull, ordinary, plain. I know she is so far above me, which is why,' _he reasoned_,' I haven't asked her out yet. I want to ask her out none the less, not like I don't already have the perfect date planned out. But like she said, I will always be Jimmy to her. And she is bound to turn me down and laugh in my face! Stupid stuck-up Vortex! But then today had to mean something right? We didn't fight. And we held hands today! What did it mean!'_

A loud crash brought him out of his private musings. Sheen was now upside down in the still spinning chair laughing at Carl who had managed to tangle himself up into one of Jimmy's larger inventions that he had torn apart for scrap. Goddard had tried to lend a hand but it only made matters worse as Carl kept squirming tangling Goddard's extra hand in the wires and pipes. Vox had then processed the situation and found the simplest solution by grabbing Carl by the ankle and pulling him up resulting in everything, including Goddard, becoming loose and crashing to the floor making the horrendous noise that had roused Jimmy's attention.

The sight was hilarious. Carl upside down squirming and shouting out for help, glasses barely hanging on. Jimmy joined Sheen in laughing at their friend before having Vox softly return him to the lab floor. Carl finally calmed down and Jimmy provided some Purple Flurps for his friends. And there they sat, just enjoying the moment together.

Three cans of Purple Flurp and two TV shows later, Sheen and Carl left Jimmy to head home. Sheen to get ready for his date and Carl to do what ever it was Carl did on a Friday night. Jimmy heaved a huge sigh as the door shut to his lab.

"Well Goddard," he looked at his robotic companion, "looks like it's just you and me tonight".

Goddard cocked his head to the side and whined, unsure of why his master decided to spend his Friday alone. It was a lovely night and just about dinner time, why spend it in the lab? Goddard turned and headed toward the lab door. Jimmy turned back to his work table and picked up his GPS system. This wasn't just any GPS system, this was the Neutronic GPS system. Programmed to respond to only the pilots voice, with the ability to locate people using their biological and genetic signature, an auto pilot setting and a smart chip that see's and recognizes all traffic and weather situations and responds to them in real time allowing the pilot to make split second decisions. He was also making it compatible with all his transportation devices by simply inserting holder in the dash. Though this was all very exciting, Jimmy couldn't focus on it. Not anymore. His head was full of thoughts of the girl across the street.

"I wonder what she's doing Goddard. Do you think she would even consider it?" Jimmy waited a few moments and heard some movement from the large pile of wires left from the mess Carl had gotten into. Figuring Goddard was cleaning it up for him and probably rolling his eyes at his master, Jimmy went in the house to get dinner and watch some TV, prepared to veg the rest of the night.

* * *


	4. Coming To The Rescue

A.N.: Thank you again for your wonderful comments and encrouagements. I hope you guys enjoy this!!

Disclaimer- I don't own Jimmy Neutron, but I do love surprises *wink *wink

* * *

Cindy was in the living room watching a rerun of one of her favorite cartoon show from when she was growing up. The doorbell rang once and she considered answering it but figured one of her parents would get it. The door bell rang again pealing through the almost empty house as she remembered that her parents were gone for the weekend again. Another one of her dad's business trips that her mom tagged along on. She decided she had better lug herself up from the couch and answer the door. Cindy wondered who it could possibly be. Who would bother her on a Friday night?

'_Maybe Lib's left something here after dance class', she postulated. 'But she's cutting it kind of close to her date with Sheen. Maybe it's Britney, although she usually calls before she comes over.'_

Cindy opened the door to an empty street. She scowled and grumbled as she looked around for the culprit. "Stupid boys. Ringing the doorbell and ditching. How Juvenile," she muttered to herself. Cindy started to close the door when she heard a familiar mechanical bark coming from the area around her feet. She looked down and was surprised to find Goddard looking back up at her, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"Oh Goddard!" Cindy exclaimed surprised at meeting Jimmy's dog this late at night, "Was that you?"

Goddard barked an affirmative.

Suddenly Cindy grew concerned. _'Why is Goddard here? Why isn't Jimmy? Is something wrong with him?'_

"What's going on? Cindy exclaimed. "Is Jimmy hurt?" _'Why would Jimmy send Goddard over here? Was he in trouble? Maybe he was missing? Or worse…'_ Concern escalated to distress as her pulse quickened. Tears began forming in her eyes at the thought of Jimmy lying hurt somewhere unable to call for help. "What Goddard!? What's wrong with Jimmy?" she practically shouted at the small canine.

Goddard barked twice then turned and started running back across the street. Cindy looked around her front entrance for her shoes then decided that if Jimmy's life was hanging in the balance, shoes were the last thing she should be concerned about. She slammed the door behind her and ran to the other side of the street.

Figuring that he was in the lab per usual, Cindy ran straight to the club house door and yanked on the knob. "Jimmy!!" she yelled. The door was locked so Cindy began pounding on the door, hoping that he could somehow hear her. "Jimmy!!!" A tear broke and trailed gently down her face. "Please Jimmy, open up! Jimmy!!"

'_Oh, God!'_ Cindy thought, her breathing turning into panting, _'What if he's lying on the ground bleeding and he can't get to the door!? I should call someone. Like Carl! Or…or… or Sheen! Maybe they have that bag of hair they carry around, or, or something!' _ Cindy stood frozen outside the lab door for a moment deciding what the best course of action to take was. Should she call someone? Or continue pounding on the door? Maybe she should find some one on the street.

She heard a few faint noises behind the tightly sealed entrance. This verified to her that someone was in there. Cindy started pounding on the door again hoping that that person was Jimmy and he was trying to open the door. Still it remained shut tight. She was sure she heard noises behind the door. Now she was starting to get mad_. 'He is deliberately locking her out_' she concluded. _'That jerk!'_ She started yelling again this time with more anger.

"JAMES ISAAC NEUTRON!!" she started. She meant business. "Open this door right now! I swear if you don't I'm gonna bust this door down! And if you aren't hurt now, you will be!"

The window to the house flew open behind her with a crash as Jimmy stuck his head out holding a large bowl of popcorn.

"Cindy! What in the name of Thomas Alva Edison are you doing!?"

Cindy turned around surprised at hearing this familiar outcry followed by relief to see him alive and unharmed. The feeling of relief was quickly replaced by confusion, humiliation, anger and then fury at herself and Jimmy's sudden appearance completely injury free.

"Neutron! What are you doing!?" she screamed at him.

"I should be asking **you** that, Vortex!" he yelled back at her still leaning out of the window. "Why are you trying to break into my lab?!"

"Break in!?" she yelled back, "I'm trying to save your sorry butt.

"What?! What are you talking about?"

"Your dog came over and…and.. and…!" she didn't know how to finish that thought… "Well, I thought something was wrong with you!"

"Well I'm fine! Stay out of my lab!"

"Fine, NERD-tron!! Next time you are laying there dead on your lab floor from some failed experiment of yours, don't come expecting any help from me!" Cindy stormed out of the yard red faced, not sure if from embarrassment for not checking the house first, or from the anger she felt for rushing all the way over to his house when nothing was wrong!

'_And without shoes too!'_ she added. _'What is wrong with that boy! And his stupid mutt! Not even a 'thanks for interrupting your peaceful night to save my life'!'_ "ARGH!!" She growled as she left.

Jimmy watched her storm off thoroughly confused as to what had just happened. The silent alarm in his lab connected to his watch started wailing at him in the middle of his movie. Worried that someone was trying to break in he rushed to the window to check it out where he found Cindy pounding on the door screaming his name. "What was that all about?" he asked to no one in particular. He shut the window and slowly walked back to the living room carrying his popcorn with him. He sat down on the couch in a daze as the rest of the movie whizzed by in a flurry of colors and sounds, none of them reaching the central cortex of his massive brain. Jimmy had no extra space in his mind to take in the rest in the movie. It was busy contemplating what would posses Cindy to come over and threaten to tear down his lab with her bare hands. _'To save me? Really? Did she care that much?'_ Jimmy continued this line of thought till he gave himself a headache.

'_Man Vortex! What is with you? Only you can give me a headache this big.'_ Jimmy popped a couple aspirin and gave up trying to rationalize the female's strange behavior.

* * *

Oh! Just when they were so close!! *evil grin and snicker*


	5. Chapter 5

Welcome to the Disclaimer....This is the part of the story where the author comes out and tells you that they own no part of Jimmy Neutron, its characters, or its artwork. Anything here is strictly fictional and of the authors own workings.

**A.N.** Thanks for the feedback and your patience. I especially find the constructive critisicm VERY helpful.

* * *

Cindy paced back and forth in her living room, too angry with herself for having cared about the well being of the 'know-it-all braniac ' across the street.

'_I can't believe that I wasted my time worrying about that…that…ARGH!'_ she finished, unable to find the appropriate adjective to properly describe her current distaste for him. She paced a few more times before she settled into a relaxing tai chi position, centering herself.

'_Why am I freaking out?' _she started to reason as she relaxed._ 'So I went over to check on him. Isn't that what any normal person would do?'_ she changed positions in one fluid motion.

'_It's not like I would completely ignore him if he were in danger or hurt,' _She continued her internal reveling, '_I just don't understand why he doesn't get that. I came running over, BAREFOOT, to make sure he was ok! Why can't he appreciate that?'_ Cindy ended her question with a sharp punch.

She took deep slow breaths till her pulse steadied again and finished with a set of relaxing stretches before returning to the couch. Aimlessly she flipped through channels unable to settle into anything. After cycling through the mindless entertainment before her, she turned the TV off and headed up the stairs taking two at a time. Once in her room, she again began pacing deciding whether to do her homework or take a shower. Deciding on the former she pulled out a binder and an oversized textbook, laying them on her desk with a thud. She let out a deep sigh, her gaze shifting around her room and eventually out the window. The streetlights were on now. Car lights glanced off of houses and sidewalks. The Neutron's house lights were on in the kitchen, and the living room, and Jimmy's room, and in the lab…

'_Jeeze! Doesn't he know how to conserve energy?'_

Cindy looked back at her books deciding they could wait till tomorrow and headed for the shower. Sixty blissful and fragrant minutes later Cindy emerged refreshed and relaxed. She passed the bedroom window managing not to look out of it to take a peek at Jimmy's house.

'_Nothing's going on Cindy. It's probably dark by now anyways,'_ she reasoned.

'_Wait, why do I even care what he is up to after tonight?'_ In defiance she deliberately looked out her window to prove to herself that nothing was happening. All the lights were off across the street. '_See,' she told herself 'nothing is going on.'_

Something, in fact, was happening, or did happen from the time Cindy had stormed out of Jimmy Neutron's yard until she looked out across the street for the third time that night. What Jimmy had thought to be Cindy setting off his silent alarm by trying to break in, a harmless and noble attempt on her part, was actually something much more vile and sinister. Under the guise of a daring rescue attempt, the true alarm tripper went unnoticed by sheer luck. For at the same moment that the villain had set off the alarm, Cindy Vortex was pounding down the door of the clubhouse.

This fortunate event for our villain gave him extra time in which to execute his revenge. Jimmy was too preoccupied by yelling at Cindy, who then stormed off back to her house in a huff, to notice that the internal lab alarm was going off as well as the external one.

After Cindy's dramatic departure Jimmy eventually returned to a movie he was no longer interested in. Finding that the screen in front of him was now a blur of colors and sounds, he headed upstairs to sort through his thoughts as he did the menial work assigned to him from his high school. It wasn't long till boredom and disinterest tore at Jimmy. He pulled out a fresh sheet of paper writing on the top "Cynthia Vortex A.K.A: Cindy". Jimmy dated the first margin and began relaying the events on paper from that morning's English class, the afternoon walk home, and up to the point where Cindy stormed off later that night upset that he wasn't lying in a bloody heap on the lab floor.

'_If I can write out all that I have observed today, perhaps I can rationalize her actions in a more scientific and logical mater' _he told himself.

Jimmy continued writing for forty-five minutes straight when his hand cramped up and he concluded that his time could prove more fruitful working in the lab instead of deconstructing the female psyche.

As he headed toward the clubhouse he realized that it had been a while since he saw Goddard. Jimmy tried to contact him via his watch but received no response. Checking for Goddard's signal he found it emanating from the lab. '_Maybe his comlink is just broken, that should be an easy fix. And I've been meaning to update his processor…'_

Jimmy yanked out a strand of his hair and held it in front of his DNA scanner and waited. When the door didn't open, Jimmy tried again but still no response.

'_Dang it Cindy!'_ He thought _'I can't believe that you broke my DNA scanner! First this rollercoaster of YOUR emotions I'm being dragged on and then my failed attempt to scientifically reason you out and now this!'_

He punched the wall out of his frustration. The door creaked open an inch. A perplexed look crossed Jimmy's face.

'_Unusual.'_ He remarked in his head, _'It is unlikely that Cindy broke the door open as well as my scanner. In fact it is highly improbable that she was able to break the locks on this door. It could only be done by someone with much more fire power.' _

Jimmy pushed the door open and stepped inside the darkened clubhouse. His foot kicked something hard and metal. He reached down, hands outstretched cautiously to find the object. He connected with a cold, rectangular metal box. Feeling the sides, he found tube-like protrusions extending out, one leading to a large metal oval shape with a familiar hard plastic top. He had found Goddard. He carefully picked up his incapacitated pooch and headed warily for the stairs. At the bottom, Jimmy was again surprised and perplexed to find the labs main entrance open. The darkness in the room seemed to reach out and grab him, sucking him into the abyss of darkness.

"Vox, lights."

Nothing happened. Jimmy tried again.

"Vox. Lights."

He cautiously took a few steps inward. A dark, deep cackle rolled out of the darkness.

"Welcome Jimmy. I hope you don't mind me making myself comfortable".

The voice was familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it. He wasn't sure from where…

"Who are you? And what are you doing in my lab!?" Jimmy called out to the unseen intruder.

"Ha! Figured that time would slow your mind. As for me, the solitude and primitive lifestyle I have led these past years has developed my brain exponentially."

The voice was grating, with a very mature timbre to it.

"Still can't figure it out!? And they call you a genius. Ha! I can run circles around your oversized head! And I've been living in the Cretaceous age!!"

As his voice reached a crescendo, a light flicked on in Jimmy's brain.

"Cousin…Eddie?" he asked.

"Ha! Took you long enough!"

"But…but….I…we left you in…in…"

"I know! In Cretaceous Retroville! Well guess what! While you were busy getting soft, I was busy planning my revenge!"

Eddie's horrendous cackle reverberated off the walls, piercing Jimmy's ears with their destructive tones.

"What do you want Eddie?" Jimmy spat out.

"What do I want? What do I want!? I thought that would be obvious, Cousin. What could possibly posses me to want to travel through space and time to be here now? Hmmm… let me think…" his pause dripped with sarcasm.

The silence lengthened.

"Well….?"Jimmy finally broke it.

"You really are dense Jimmy. It's simple. Revenge."

With the last word, Jimmy's body was forced backwards by an electromagnetic force, knocking him against the far wall of the lab. Goddard's limp form slammed into his chest, an audible crunching sound could be heard coming from Jimmy's chest. Various parts from around the lab hurtled towards him. Half of a large experiment barely missed his head, the other half landed on his legs pinning him to the floor. Smaller objects followed, scraping his still exposed upper body. Something hard and round found an area of his head, knocking him out momentarily. Jimmy's consciousness came in short bursts. He heard approaching footsteps, Eddie's deep chuckle, and then hot breath on his face.

"Heh, heh, heh," Eddie muttered maniacally, "Have a nice life, Cousin."

Eddie stood and stalked towards the open lab door. Before leaving the room, he slammed a small detonator that he held in his hand onto the wall. Jimmy heard a beeping that pounded in his head like a drum making every part of his body ache with pain. It continued for what seemed like hours, but with his loose grip on reality it could have been only seconds.

'_Make it stop…'_ he thought. _'Please God!! Make it stop!!'_

As if on cue the detonator let out one final long beep. The room fell deathly silent before it was rocked with a horrible explosion. The force sent chunks of wall and steel flying through the air, caving in the entrance and covering Jimmy with fresh shrapnel and dust. Jimmy lost all consciousness and lay there buried under his lab and destroyed experiments as his cousin turned the corner at the end of the street and disappeared into the night.

* * *

Bru-ha-ha-ha!!! What will happen next?!!

* * *


	6. You Light Up My Night

**A.N.:** Sorry it's been so long since I last posted an update. I got married and moved in and all that fun stuff. So here is the long awaited next chapter!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron. We can't all be perfect. ;)

* * *

Cindy lay in bed in her dark room. She had run through the nightly checklist: door locked, windows shut, lights off, ready for bed. She sighed deeply relaxing her body and began drifting off into blissful rest.

She was about to crossover the threshold of unconsciousness when her room was suddenly filled with a blinding light quickly followed by a shockwave that shook the house. A picture of her and Libby on her bedside table fell to the floor the glass shattering. Cindy sat straight up, completely awake and alarmed.

"Neutron…" she muttered menacingly under her breath scowling at her curtains.

She ripped off the covers and stomped around her bed, careful to avoid any broken glass, to the window and threw open the curtains, swearing silently about failed experiments and alien invaders.

It was apparent where the source of the shockwave had come from. The clubhouse that made up the entrance to Jimmy's lab was partially collapsed; the rest was leaning threateningly to one side. Smoke curled forebodingly out of the wreckage. Orange light flickered, reflecting off parts of the wreckage.

Cindy gasped, "Jimmy! Oh my god!" What did you do?!"

She grabbed a hoodie and flip-flops, jumped down the stairs, skidding on the hall carpet and into the front door. She yanked on the handle, cursing when it didn't budge.

"Stupid door…stupid locks" Cindy muttered unbolting the door.

She flung it open and sprinted across the street. The chilly night air made her legs, not covered by her shorts, goose pimple. Cindy ran to the backyard and stood in front of the clubhouse where she had stood only a few hours before. The door hung limply open. She pushed it aside stepping through. She stepped gingerly over pieces of wreckage making her way to the stairs to the lab. She moved broken wood and metal scraps out of the way heading down the stairs. She immediately regretted heading down the to the lab without a light. She paused half way down considering going back to find one.

Something in the darkness below fell with a crash followed by a soft sound, almost like a death rattle. That sound made up Cindy's mind for her and she descended the rest of the stairs rather quickly. She stepped through the damaged lab entrance into a cloud of dust and smoke. She waved her hand trying to see into the darkness but couldn't tell if it really made a difference.

"Jimmy!" she shouted, "Jimmy!"

She inhaled sharply sucking in dust and started hacking. "Where…"cough cough "where are you!" she carefully started moving into the room. She stubbed her toe on something hard and cursed out loud. This time she attempted to step over it only to run her knee into a flat slab. "Dang it" she reached out blindly to move the object but found it to heavy to move. Using her hands Cindy carefully found her way around cautiously raising and lowering one foot at a time looking for steady points on which to stand.

"Jimmy!! Jimmy!!"

'_Crap crap crap!'_ she thought, '_where is he?'_

"Jimmy!! Please answer me!!"

'_What if he's still in the house'_ she thought suddenly. _'But he would be out here to investigate too, wouldn't he?'_ She froze with her foot in the air praying that she would hear Jimmy's voice coming from above or footsteps or something.

Silence was her only answer. Silence. Still, deep, menacing. Something across from her crashed to the floor. She jumped at the noise and wiped a grubby hand across her check.

'_Why is my face wet?'_ she asked herself. She hadn't realized that she had been crying. She reached up again to wipe the tears away. As she brushed them away she felt a little stab in her chest releasing a fountain from her eyes. Her breaths came in broken sobs which turned into heart wrenching wails. Cindy could hardly stand. She reached out to brace her falling body. Swallowing and gasping she started shouting again for Jimmy, stumbling forward.

'_I…I just have…' _sob _'to keep…looking' _she mentally attempted to steel herself.

"Jimm-maaaay!!!" she wailed. She stumbled forward. Cindy yelled again and was surprised to hear her voice continue wailing out to him after she had stopped. Confused she slowly closed her mouth. She sniffled trying to clear her head of the confusion but still her voice continued.

'_How am I doing that? I must be really far gone'_

The sound continued to grow louder till it filled the room around her with an almost throbbing noise. Cindy realized that the sound was not coming from her. It was coming from outside. '_Sirens'._ Cindy started yelling again, this time for help while she tried to move back to the lab door. Cindy's calls were lost in the sounds, her head throbbed from the noise and the stress from the night, as she stepped down she lost her balance and tripped falling onto something cold and hard. She braced herself with her hands on the littered ground, her knee collided into something; a sharp pain went up her leg. She winced looking down to see what it was but unable to see anything in the dark room.

Cindy hung her head, her body starting to heave preparing for a new bout of sobs. Lights flashed out of the corner of her eye. She whipped her head up and saw lights glancing off of torn metal sheets and dust covered stairs. She opened her mouth to yell out telling them her position, pushing all the air from her lungs out but nothing came out. Confused she tried again this time she readied her whole body as leverage to send a sound out. Before she could the lights descended and flashed around the room, as they scanned back and forth she thought she caught a glimpse of pale skin and brown hair. She inhaled sharply breathing in the dust. Hacking she slowly stood up, pain piercing anew in her leg she hobbled toward where she thought she had seen him. Light flashed over the spot again, this time highlighting an arm. A rush of adrenaline rushed through her system. She staggered over to a pile of wood, wires and metal propped on one side of the room as if flung there carelessly. The stabbing in Cindy's chest grew more painful as she came closer to the limp form. Though it took seconds it seemed to take years for her to reach him.

Cindy reached Jimmy's limp body pulling off as much of the debris as she could. The lights came closer and closer illuminating more of the room. Jimmy was covered in dirt; blood seeped out of wounds on face, chest and arms. He was pinned down by a large chunk of what could have been his lab table. Cindy reached out to touch his arm.

"Jimmy," she whispered, "Jimmy!"

The people holding the lights finally descended all the way into the rubble.

"I have person down here!" one shouted.

"Make that two" medical professionals rushed around Cindy.

"We've got one unconscious" the first one called out. He gently grabbed Cindy's upper arm and started moving her back away from Jimmy. The stabbing pain in her chest got worse as she was being pulled away, Cindy started screaming and kicking out in protest, now that she had finally found him, there was no way she was leaving him there to die.

"Please ma'am, calm down." The paramedic holding her arm tried to consol her. He moved her far enough away that two more paramedics could come in and asses the situation and tend to the pinned body.

"Ma'am, ma'am, can you tell me what happened here?" the paramedic moved into her line of sight, blocking Jimmy from view.

"I…I …I" she stuttered.

"Ma'am, can you tell me what happened? Were you here?"

"No," she chocked out, "I… I don't know. I don't know what happened"

"We've got broken ribs and a possible concussion," the paramedic attending Jimmy shouted over his shoulder.

"Jimmy," Cindy yelled out struggling to get back to his side. The paramedic talking to her held onto her fast.

"Were you here when it happened?" he attempted to probe for more answers. Cindy looked at him confused as to why he was still hanging onto her, why he wouldn't let her go.

'_Why are you asking me these questions?'_ she thought.

"Ma'am, were you here?" he asked again.

"No!" she yelled at him this time. _'Why couldn't he understand?'_

"Ma'am, can you tell me your name?"

"C-Cindy," she answered her voice dropped off as the paramedics prepared to brace Jimmy's mid section. They discarded Goddard, who had been cradled in his arms, to the side and lifted the heavy metal chunk off of his legs. "Legs aren't broken, some bleeding though. His right arm is broken". "We need a board down here" the second paramedic yelled up the stairs.

Cindy lost the little composure she had been able to hold onto. Her body started heaving, her voice crying out and then being drowned by the torrent of tears that seemed to come out of every orifice. She doubled over reaching out to the ground before she collided head first into it. She could feel the gentle yet firm hands of the paramedic trying to brace her and soothe her, but she wasn't sure what he was saying to her over her sobs. Between the sobs and heaves Cindy managed to decipher two words, "Get out". Realizing that they were probably talking about her and that she was blocking the exit for the one injured boy, she knew she had to move out of the way. Cindy tried to stop the overwhelming throws of emotion now racking her body by taking deep breaths, but all she managed were a few sharp breaths that came in ragged bursts. She tried to stand up to open up her lungs for more air but the small action of righting her body felt like she was bending her spine backwards and she fell back into the crumpled position.

The paramedics lifted Jimmy gingerly onto the board, strapped him in and began to carry him outside. Cindy gawked at the site as they passed almost over her head. She had seen many of Jimmy's filed experiments and some that had horrible consequences, but never something this bad.

'_What happened down here Jimmy?'_ she found herself asking the same question she had been asked, _'What was worth this risk?'_

"Cindy, can you walk on your own, we need to get you out of here. Cindy?" the paramedic gently shook her bringing her focus back in. She nodded slightly. She had stopped the uncontrollable sobbing and was down to sucking in ragged breaths and releasing small crying sighs. Cindy cautiously stood and stepped forward faltering. The paramedic reached out to steady here and help her up the stairs. Cindy winced with every step, the wounds on her legs pulsating with a new pain, she had forgotten about the physical damage she had sustained when the emotions came out.

Outside, Cindy was blinded by the lights that seemed to come from all around her. As her eyes adjusted she saw that the source of the light was from multiple headlights and house lights all around the backyard. She was led to the back of an open ambulance and onto a bed as paramedics attended her leg. Cindy strained to look out the sides of the ambulance trying to locate Jimmy. She heard voices around here, some most likely directed at her, but she was too concerned with another than to answer questions about herself.

"Ow!" Cindy reflexed away from the medic in front of her.

"I said it might hurt a little," he answered her reaction with a smirk.

"Yea…" Cindy answered absently still trying to locate Jimmy.

"Are you looking for your friend?" he asked here as he continued cleaning out her wound. Cindy ignored his question leaning forward and side to side to find just a glimpse of auburn hair. The paramedic sighed, "Look, if I go find out about your friend will you hold still?"

She looked down at him noticing the dirt covered and blood soaked wipes around he knees a fresh bandage near by. She nodded and he turned and exited the ambulance disappearing around the side of the vehicle. Cindy held as still as she could mentally hastening his return. Finally he returned and went right back to dressing her wounds.

"They just left for the hospital. I guess it doesn't look good, but it could have been much worse. They think it must have been some kind of explosion that caved the structure in, but they aren't sure how all the metal and shrapnel ended up on the side of the room like that." He sighed as he finished the wound on one leg and moved to attend to the other one.

"The other paramedics said that he had a broken rib or two, possibly a fractured bone in his arm and leg. He has some bad wounds and is unconscious. They won't know more till they examine him fully at the hospital. Which is exactly where you are going," he finished standing up. "I bandaged your leg, but you are probably going to need stitches, and you need to be checked out just in case."

Cindy opened her mouth to protest but the paramedic jumped out of the back and closed the doors behind him before she could say anything. Cindy laid down on the gurney as the drivers got in and left the rubble in the Neutrons yard behind.


End file.
